Oil Extraction Essay Example for Free

Oil Extraction Essay When extracting lipids or fats from foods, both the method as well as the solvents chosen to perform a complete, or close to complete extraction are important. If these two elements are not taken into consideration, the extraction may not be complete, or the extract may contain a large quantity of undesired impurities. The natural fats and oil are mixtures of glycerides of fatty acids. Fats and oils are naturally occurring organic compounds which belong to a large group of water insoluble substances called lipids. Lipids are relatively non-polar molecules, they can be pulled out of a sample using relatively non-polar solvents. With a non-polar solvent, only non-polar molecules in the sample dissolve while polar ones do not. A solution to the problem of extracting trapped lipids is to use an extraction procedure such as the soxhlet that will help break up the polar barriers and allow the solvent to reach the non-polar compounds and extract them. In this experiment, soxhlet extraction was used. Soxhlet extraction is an extraction method that uses chemical solvents. Oils from the algae are extracted through repeated washing, or percolation, with an organic solvent such as hexane or petroleum ether, under reflux in a special glassware. Copra, dried kernel of the coconut, was the sample used. Often though, the sample must be ground and prepared prior to the extraction procedure in order to break up the cell membranes and other structures that would make extraction difficult. In this experiment, petroleum ether was used as the solvent due to its low boiling point, relatively non-toxic nature (when compared to chloroform or methanol), and of course because it is quite non-polar. When talking about ether, two kinds can be used in lipid extraction: anhydrous diethyl ether CH3CH2OCH2CH3 and petroleum ether, which is a mixture of pentane (CH3CH2CH2CH2CH3) and hexane (CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3). Petroleum ether is more non-polar, cheaper and less flammable than diethyl ether. Due to its greater non-polarity, petroleum ether will yield a more specific extract than diethyl ether because it will only extract the most polar molecules. However, as petroleum ether may not be able to break apart some of the more polar shells surrounding some lipids and give a near complete lipid extraction, diethyl ether is usually used despite its higher flammability and cost.

Teaching And Learning In The Digital Age Education Essay

Teaching And Learning In The Digital Age Education Essay Preparing learners for the demands of the 21st century requires committed, innovative teachers willing to push existing restrictions. It is also about effectively using the emerging technologies to enhance teaching and learning strategies. The unique and rapid changes happening in this field present various problems for teachers who are willing to experiment with their teaching and learning, roles and responsibilities, learning atmosphere and situations, patterns of interaction, strategies and theories, as well as, modes of assessment. Integrating technology in education can range from replicating existing educational practices through digital media with technology as tools, to transforming education to bring about new learning goals. Incorporating technology in the classroom can bring significant and positive changes in the teaching-learning process but it is not at all easy as we have strong conventional educational practices in our education system and integrating ICT will demand for the innovative role of the teacher as facilitator of the learning to the active role of the learner. The present paper focuses its attention on the problems and issues of the classroom and teaching-learning process in the digital age as it wont be easy to break existing pedagogical practices and adapt new ones. The paper further proposes the ways through which ICT can be effectively incorporated in the classroom. The paper also talks about the changing role of the teacher as well as of the learner in the world of technology and suggests the ways through which teachers can be motivated to use technological tools in their teaching-learning process. Key Terms: Teaching, Learning, Digital Age. INTRODUCTION: Integrating technology in education is a complex issue taking many forms that differ in purpose. This can range from replicating existing educational practices through digital media with technology as tools, to transforming education to bring about new learning goals. Education is at the core of powerful and rapidly shifting educational, technological and political forces that will shape the structure of educational systems across the globe for the rest of this century. Many countries are engaged in a number of efforts to achieve changes in the teaching-learning process to prepare students for information and technology based society. The UNESCO World Education Report (1998) notes that the new technologies challenge traditional conceptions of both teaching and learning and, by reconfiguring how teachers and learners gain access to knowledge, have the potential to transform teaching and learning processes. ICTs provide a range of powerful tools that may help in transforming the presen t isolated, teacher-centered and text-bound classrooms into rich, student-focused, interactive knowledge environments. The digital age means we now have interactive tools for the classroom to go alongside our more usual set of ideas and activities. Technology is both part of the problem and part of the solution. The information revolution itself has been fuelled by the growth of the Internet networked society but this revolution also offers alternative approaches to access, process and share knowledge, significantly reducing the importance of memory and the retention of a vast subject knowledge base (Burden, 2010). There is no longer the essential for teachers to retain a comprehensive body of subject knowledge which they are expected to be able to access and repeat with accuracy and speed. Subject knowledge is less likely to be perceived as placed in the individual teacher but rather as a shared effort in which the learner is capable of re-constructing new knowledge, both by themselves and as part of a collaborative effort (Ellis, 2007). The passive 3 Rs replaced by the more dynamic 3 Cs of collaboration, creativity and communication. These features challenge the traditional basis for teaching in schools. TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS: Schools today serve and shape a world in which there can be great opportunity to grow if people can learn to work creatively and collaboratively. Yet, instead of fostering creativity and uniqueness, more and more school systems have become preoccupied with traditional curriculum uniformity and pedagogical practices. Schools and teachers have been bound into the web of test scores and achievement targets. By and large, our schools are preparing young people neither to work nor to live well in this digital age. Twenty-first century teaching is no longer about the four walls of the classroom. Technology has enlarged the area of teaching-learning process as learners have the reach to vast store of information i.e. internet and they have lots of queries for this reason. So, pedagogical practices should necessarily be changed and capable enough to provide opportunities to the learners to discover the answers. It is also a fact that teaching has always adapted to its circumstances methodologically and physically, moving from lecture to pair work and from translation to communication, for example. Likewise, teachers have always tried to make the best use of any materials that they could get their hands on from slate to whiteboards, from hand-written postcards to authentic magazine articles, from radio recordings through to DVDs. Fig. 1, Teaching-Learning in the Digital Age The absolute degree of human knowledge, globalization and the accelerating rate of change due to technology necessitates a shift in our childrens education- from merely knowing to continuous cycle of learning, thus demanding the total change in the teaching learning process which is currently based on rote learning and memory. Digital age has opened up the new dimensions to the learning which are not visible in our existing traditional school system. Twenty first century learning is more complex than ever before as it includes various skills that must be acquired by the learner. Figure 2 presents these skills: Fig. 2, Skills of 21st Century Learner The days of only using chalkboards and books in the teaching learning process have gone. Nowadays, there is video or audioà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ video interaction in childrens classrooms. Using the same skills used for centuries-analysis, synthesis, and evaluation-teachers now must look at digital literacy as another realm within which to apply elements of critical thinking. TEACHER IN THE DIGITAL AGE: In the recent years school education sector has realized that the teacher is the ultimate key to educational change and school effectiveness. The teachers do not merely deliver the curriculum, but they also develop, define and reinterpret. It is the task of teachers to tackle with the technology and to grow their learners to acquire skills of the 21st century. In the current scenario, the voice of the innovative teacher in the country is barely audible. This voice is rich in practice and experience and can aid us in understanding best suited pedagogical practices for learners. ICT has given new roles and responsibilities to the teacher. ICT challenges the existing authoritarian role of the teachers as the sole source of knowledge and information and demands to be themselves learner first. Teachers themselves need to learn the new way of learning, and in addition to new ways of helping others learn. This also means a massive shift in the role of the teacher and in all structural aspects of the school system. It can be a highlight for most of the teachers when they suddenly realize that they learned something by and for themselves, not just for next class tomorrow. Teachers are hardly ever asked what they already know and can do, what experiences they bring, which problems they would like to tackle. Such low expectations are set in their teacher education courses in university and more traditional professional development settings. Fig. 3, Roles Responsibilities of the Teacher in the Digital Age The greatest teachers teach naturally. It flows from them like a gentle rain; they cant help but teach. ICT is just another tool in the toolbox of a good teacher. ICT expects teachers to give the students middle stage in the classroom, providing opportunities to explore and inquire for their learning. Teachers should act as guides, facilitators and advisors, building linkages between their students individual interests and understandings and the common skills and knowledge society expects them to acquire. Teachers hold personal theories, cognitive constructs and guiding principles that determine their instructional decisions and technology integration. Teachers are reflective by nature and use their own systems of beliefs to pursue solutions to problems as determined by their contexts. ICT has made it relevant for a teacher to be a subject specialist, in addition be able to utilize the amazing power that computers offer. The real facts remain the same. The good teachers love and passion for their subject, whether it be art, poetry or geography, can and do enrich the childs learning experience. ICT enhances this enrichment, but it will be difficult to break the existing boundaries and to convince the teachers to play their new role. LEARNER IN THE DIGITAL AGE: Students in a traditional classroom are passive. They listen and react to the teachers direct instruction. NCF, 2005 also articulates that childrens voices and experiences do not find expression in the class. It further says that children will learn only in an atmosphere where they feel they are valued and our schools still do not convey this to all children. But ICT has changed the way students learn and the styles of learning they adopt. The learner today has multiple resources available to them. They are ahead of their teachers in using the technology and accessing information in various fields. They are less dependent on teachers and prescribed text books. They build upon their existing knowledge and derive their own meanings. It has provided them freedom and flexibility which was not available earlier. Learners have active, reflective role in this digital age. Todays children are growing up digital. Their view of the world is very different from that of adults, thanks to exceptional access to information, people, and ideas across highly interactive media. Todays children are the latest model of human being. Looking at the world of children is not looking backward at our own past-its looking ahead. They are our evolutionary future. But, it also proposes the biggest problem in the teaching-learning process in the present digital age. A common scenario today is a classroom filled with digitally literate students being taught by linearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ thinking, technologically obstructed teachers. Students have been exposed to these technologies or similar ones early on during their formative years while their teachers have just been exposed to it only recently. As a result, the students are sometimes more capable with the technology. In spite of this teachers are rarely given the chance to learn how to use this technologyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ teachers are given the tools, but not the knowledge. Teachers increasingly are learning the technology on their own time. Students on the other are confident enough to use these technological advancements effectively and they even prefer it more on traditional methods of teaching and learning. Learners now have freedom to explore, discover and inquire whatever they want. ROLE OF ICT IN EDUCATION: Contemporary beliefs regarding learning have moved away from knowledge transmission models of simply imparting information to constructive knowledge models where knowledge is constructed. In the process of meaning making, technology is roped in to support the communication and construction of new knowledge resulting in new learning. Teachers want their learners to make their own decisions in future, enabling them to learn for themselves. The role of ICT in education can be seen as learning about, learning with and learning through ICT. ICT is used to liberate learners from the limitations of their physical environments due to inadequate infrastructure or lack of resources. ICT can mainly help in three areas that are as follows: Fig. 4, How ICT can help in the process of Teaching-Learning? Today ICT is an essential life skill in the same way as literacy and numeracy are. ICT provides an opportunity for economic development and is a requirement for employability. ICT is a tool for educational management that can improve teaching and learning. Teachers should utilize these technological advancements according to the particular context, pedagogy and activities during the lesson. Teachers need to be flexible to enough to use ICT. Use of ICT can create an interest among students which will result in learning at better pace and with ample opportunities to explore the answers to their various queries. But, it is not at all possible without changing the current traditional practices and roles that teachers and students are playing. CONCLUSION: ICT or digital age is the truth of our lives today which is unavoidable if one want to live, learn and move ahead in 21st century world. This digital age is a potentially liberating process freeing teachers and students from the acquisition and retention of information and enabling them to focus more on the creative processes of making connections and creating new paths which have meaning and purpose for the present time (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2000). ICT or digital age resources today offer great opportunities in education sector and especially to our schools for the beneficiary role they provide in information, learning and research. It clearly states that teachers should be digitally literate in order to use these ICT resources and tools. Existing traditional practices and roles necessarily be changed by the use of technology in the classroom. Teachers must be a facilitator and direct the students towards the right direction where as students should be provided with the freedom t o explore, discover and inquire. Resources should be made available to the schools in order to fulfill this objective and teachers must be educated digitally. It means, curriculum of teacher education will eventually be transformed into ICT based curriculum and exploratory pedagogical practices. ICT can enhance the teaching learning process and can make it more interactive than today. It will provide new dimensions to the learning as it will lead to autonomous learning. Constructivism will emerge as the new theory and technology will follow it in practice as it emphasizes on collaborative learning, real-world projects with authentic assessments with students accepting responsibility for their own learning. But all this will require internal inspiration and support system from our education system as well as the readiness to change and learn from everyone even from the students. Teacher training curriculum also need to be redesigned as teachers should themselves be learner and digita lly educated to be capable of using these ICT tools. REFRENCES: Anderson, L. and Krathwohl, D. (2000): Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Allyn Bacon: New York. Burden, K. (2010): Conceptualizing teachers professional learning with Web 2.0, Campus-Wide Information Systems 27, no. 3: 148-161.    Churchill, D. (2006): Teachers private theories and their design of technology-based learning; British Journal of Educational Technology, 37(4): p. 559-576. Dey, B., Saxena, K.M. Gihar, S. (2005), Information and Communication Technology and teacher Education : An empirical study : The Journal of Education, Vol. 1(2), pp.60-63 Ellis, V. (2007): Taking Subject Knowledge Seriously: From Professional Knowledge Recipes to Complex Conceptualizations of Teacher Development, The Curriculum Journal 18, 3: 447 462 Gardner, H. (1983): Frames of mind: A theory of multiple intelligences; Basic Books: New York. Glaserfeld, V. (1989): Constructivism in education; Pergamon Press: England. Jonesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Kavalier, B., Flannigan, S. (2006): Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century; Educause Quarterly, 29(2), 1à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 3. Leask, M. Paschler, N.(2003), learning to teach using ICT in the secondary schools, Routledge: London. National Curriculum Framework (2005): National Council of Educational Research and Training: New Delhi. UNESCO World Education Report (1998): United Nation.

Child Refugees

Child Refugees Backdrop Half of the worlds refugees are children but their voices are amongst the least heard. Amidst the debate and conflict around refugees and border protection, the rights of refugee children have been neglected. â€Å"We come to a country we heard has human rights and freedoms. We cant believe whats happening to us†¦.We havent any human rights. We are just like animals. We do not have a normal life like a human. Our feeling is dead. Our thinking is dead. We are very sad about everything. We cant smile.† (Ibrahim Ishreti-refugee living on a bridging visa) Australia is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol and has a proud tradition of sheltering refugees but the current mandatory detention (an essential component) for on-shore arrivals including the children of asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors has enormously damaged its international reputation. Whilst these might be legitimate policy concerns they have led to an approach to asylum seekers that has caused wide community debate and division in Australia. The writer is a Pakistani origin immigrant in Australia. Pakistan considers a poorest country of the world host over a million Afghan refugees enjoying ample freedoms, however in Australia where the number of unauthorized arrivals has never been much more than 4000 in any one year are placed indefinitely in detention camps with limited access to services, hence the motive for selecting this topic. Key Aspects of the Policy The major policy objectives of mandatory detention have been to have â€Å"ordered† approach to immigration and to ensure that Australian borders are secure. But little or no consideration has been given to the impact of these polices on the children who are caught up in them. That policy ââ€"  Denies internationally recognised fundamental human rights to all the children of particular social group;ââ€"  Locks up, behind razor wire, children who have committed no crime;ââ€"  And fails to recognises the vulnerability and special needs of these children. The fundamental purpose of childrens rights is to identify children as human beings who because of their vulnerability and special needs require special protection. To address this special status the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was developed. The UNCRC to which Australia is a party (1990), decrees that a child seeking refugee status is to receive appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance. Refugee children share certain universal rights with all other people; have additional rights as children and particular rights as refugees. It provides a comprehensive framework to guide the development of policy and practices that relate to children. Irrespective of where people stand on the Australian Governments broad asylum seekers policy it is an undeniable fact that any form of detention applying to children is a breach of their rights. In the terms of UNCRC the imprisonment of these children is either â€Å"cruel and inhuman treatment† or at the very least â€Å"harsh treatment†. Both of which are unacceptable under the terms of the convention. Detention compounds the effect of previous trauma and exacerbates the grief and loss that these children have already suffered whether they are accompanied or unaccompanied in their flight to Australia. UNCRC The UNCRC articulate that holding children in detention shall be used as a measure of last resort and only for the shortest possible time. But in Australia, detention is the first and only resort and for an indefinite period of time. We are letting these children down by neglecting this provision of the UNCRC. The difficult lives these children have suffered at the hands of their won governments or fellow beings are beyond the comprehension of most Australians. Yet we compound that damage by allowing children to spend their formative years in detention . Keeping children in mandatory detention is denial of their internationally recognised basic human rights. Childrens developmental needs which are a fundamental reality often not considered in relief efforts. In order to grow and develop normally, a child has certain age-specific requirements that must be satisfied. Basic health care, nutrition and education are generally recognised as necessary for the physical and intellectual developmental of children. Beyond these, however, healthy psychosocial development depends in large measure on the nurturing and stimulation that children receive as they grow, and on the opportunities that they have to learn and master new skills. For refugee children, healthy psychosocial development also requires coping effectively with the multiple trauma of loss, uprooting and often more damaging experiences. Hence, tragic long-term consequences may result where childrens developmental needs are not adequately met. Challenges and/or Controversies The Australian public is not generally informed about international obligations towards refugees and the many false perceptions that migrants are a major cause of economic and social problems remain largely unchallenged. In many instances, the government has demonized asylum seekers in emotive language and as a result many people consider that refugees are lairs, criminals, ‘forum shoppers, welfare cheats and queue jumpers . The terminology of ‘queue jumper does not exist in international law nor does it exist in other countries. Australia has adopted it simply because it prefers to offer refugee status to a carefully selected number of people from overseas countries and it does not like being forced to consider applications from those it had not already selected. Australia, in comparison with most other western societies, has a small number of children arriving, nevertheless, in relation to the total number of asylum seekers arriving, children remain a significant percentage. Some travel with parents or guardians and other often travel alone (identified as unaccompanied). Regardless of the motive, children have no choice in the decision that has led them to be vulnerable to the notions of a new authority. The overriding principle, contained in Article 3 of UNCRC the Best Interests of the Child: In all actions concerning children, weather undertakenby public or private social welfare institutions, courtsof law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies,the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration. Various laws in Australia mention the Bets Interest of the Child and propose to support this principle. The law that relates to onshore asylum seekers is not one of these laws. The Migration Amendment Act of 1992 identifies asylum seekers as designated persons. Section 189 states that a designated person must be detained during the processing of their refugee status and Section 192 goes on to identify two options for release obtaining a Temporary Protection Visa or being deported. Under this section everyone is detained until they are either accepted or rejected as refugees, regardless of age or infirmity. This is where politics becomes involved in childrens rights and immigration detention of children where the Act does not make any distinction between the immigration status of adults and children and therefore there is no legal status between adults and their children and no difference in their treatment. This is of course dismisses the idea of the ‘best interests of the ch ild. Childrens needs cannot be met in isolation. They are normally met most effectively within the context of family and community. Moreover a childs welfare is closely linked to the health and security of the primary caregiver. It is therefore, necessary to strengthen the capacities of refugee families to meet their own needs and improve the participation and situation of adult refugees particularly women, thereby contributing significantly to the welfare of their children. Selection of one challenge and its reflection on policy based solution Best Interest In relation to the refugee children whether accompanied or unaccompanied the primary goals of any action or program must be: †¢ To ensure the protection and healthy development of all children†¢ To achieve durable solutions which are appropriate to the immediate and long term developmental needs of children.While there is no one definition of what will be in the best interests of each and every child, a childs ability to enjoy all of his or her rights in a given environment is a good indication of whether the childs best interests are being met. Furthermore, the UNCRC also doesnt explicitly define ‘best interest it is clear that in the case of actions and decisions affecting a child; it is the best interests of that individual child which must be taken into account rather than children generally. The childs best interests†¦..must be the subject of active consideration. It needs to be demonstrated that childrens interests have been explored and taken into account as a primary consideration. The ‘best interests principle is reiterated in article 9(1) of the UNCRC states that children should never be separated from their parents against their will except when ‘necessary for the best interests of the child. The interaction between the ‘best interests principle, family unity and immigration can be enlightened by referring preamble of the UNCRC providing a reference point by recognizing that: â€Å"[T]he child, for the full and harmonious development ofhis of her personality, should grow up in a family environment,in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding†. In order to support the best interests of the refugee children many of the obligations under the UNCRC are relevant for instance, protection from violence, the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, special care for children with disabilities, education, keeping confidentiality of their personal information, non-discrimination, recreation and the right to full cultural life (including language) are all factors that create a nurturing environment. Incorporating Children voices into policy debate The idea of childrens participation gained currency due to UNCRC. This legal instrument grants children civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. Articles 12-15 are interpreted as conferring on children the right to participate in their societies. This includes the right to have their views heard in matters affecting them; the right to freedom of expression, information, religion and conscience; and the right to form associations. The UNCRC marks a change from understanding children as objects of adult interventions designed to meet their developmental needs, towards a construction of children as rights holders with the ability to participate in defining their own requirements for well being . Refugees children being most vulnerable members of Australian society, they should have the right to have their fundamental need for shelter, food, physical and emotional care and education met, and to live freely and securely within a society that values and protects them. It is the responsibility of Government and communities to ensure these needs are met if a childs family/caregiver cannot or will not protect their rights. But due to their protracted legal status refugee children have spoken loud and clear. The welfare of kids in immigration detention is jeopardized because the three agencies supposedly caring for them the federal government, the private correctional firm that runs the detention centres and the state government wont consider childrens interests before their own. Where are the kids in this picture while the adults are fighting with each other over jurisdictional and policy issues? They are unheard and ignored. It proves that these children have worries, distress and concern for their unresolved legal situation and their inability to move towards an integration into the Australian community. Many children describe themselves as happy, good, but detailed their depression and distress that accompanied being in a limbo situation. The non-resolution of their migration or refugee situation was their paramount concern. The current manifestations of distress, while particularly concerning are equalled by the knowledge of the long term impact of ‘not belonging; to a community; to a state and to a nation If a child cannot access normal citizenship, then their ability to grow emotionally and integrate themselves into their new country is diminished. These children have the possibility of becoming adults with a sense of frustration and anger that will impact on their lives and will impact on our lives in the Australian community in the forthcoming years. [NOTE: the writer considers the points of this paragraph as specifics impacting her local area of residence surrounded by refugee children] Conclusion Refugee children, just like our won children, need access to education and health care, and have the right to live with their families and be reunited with them when separated. They are entitled to a safe environment, free from fear and intimidation. Why do we recognize this for our won children but deny it for Iraqi, Afghan and Iranian children? We must take them into the community where they can play, learn and grow. At least when our children look back on this time and ask us what we did to stand up for refugee kids, we can say we gave them their childhood .

Fight Club Essay -- Film Movie

This movie is mainly about a narrators search for meaning and the fight to find freedom from a meaningless way of life. It setting is in suburbia, an abandoned house located in a major large city. Ed Norton, plays the nameless narrator, Brad Pitt, is Tyler Dunden, and Helena Boaham Carter is Marla Singer, the three main characters. David Fincher directs this film in 1999, which adapted it from the novel written by Chuck Palahnuik. It begins depicting Edward Norton, the narrator, working for an insurance company as a representative, who produces evidence for recalling automobiles. He lives in a 15 story, glass front condominium, with the best expensive furniture, designer clothes and a totally empty way of life. Society has yet to understand how employment can influence a person life experiences. His first experience in solving his problem is to seek medical advice for insomnia, which is not the answer. He was advised by his doctor to really see pain, participate in is a group of men who have testicular cancer and really experience pain. This begins his phony search and fix to his search for a painless life. He portrays his self as a cancer survivor, and creates an identity to fill his emptiness, and thus ends up attending seven groups a week. He then meets Bob, who is later killed because of his participation in a bombing of a coffee house. During this process the narrator meets the chain smoking, Marla Singer. Confronted with realization, they were both liars and looking in the mirror irritated him, Marla and the narrator agreed to a plan not to be at the same group, and they could both also avoid self-reflection and contact at the same time. These groups lead the narrator into finding his ?cave and finding t... ... up, Marla and the narrator holding hands and he says ?you met me at a very strange time in my life.? The last song is ?Where is my Mind It also can be a symbol representing the narrators search for his true identity. This movie is sending a message to society about what can happen in a world of confused, angry men. Its points to the hypocrisy of the general public which promotes enforcements of movie ratings, gun control but drops its children off the see ?The Matrix?. In my opinion, this is a good movie for college students, who are studying in Sociology, Mental Health or Nursing Careers. This assignment required many skills, to understand the information you required. This information was hidden in the plot so distinctly a freshman student could have easily missed it. I think this movie would be a challenge for upper level college students.

Total Quality Management (TQM) :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

TQM1 TQM in Foodservice Introduction One of the most important industries overall is the food industry. The food industry consists of everything from food processing plants to fast food restaurants. The food industry affects nearly every living person. Most people don't realize how important this industry is and how it affects their everyday lives. That is why it is so critical that the products of this industry are at their highest quality, are free of bacteria and ensure that the consumer will not face any detrimental consequences. Total Quality Management (TQM) plays a big role in promising these results. Total Quality Management seems to be a confusing term for the layman. TQM is a philosophy advocated by Dr. Edward Deming, a world renowned quality guru. It was widely accepted by Japan from 1950 onward. They used this principle for continuous refinement of an organization-wide quality system. Since then many organizations around the world have adopted TQM or similar methodologies. There have been many successes and many reported failures. Success of the system depends on the total commitment of the people to quality from top to bottom within the organization. TQM implementation is based on team work and the philosophy of continuous improvement. Statistics need to be used extensively to analyze and reduce the variation in the process. In the food industry, continuous improvement is vital to the survival of a specific company or restaurant. The customer is constantly purchasing the products of competitors and any decline in quality will equal a decrease in gross profits. There are several areas that a restaurant may focus on for quality improvement such as menu offerings, hospitality, service, cleanliness, and over all food quality. All of these aspects will be covered in this paper concerning Total Quality Management. Summary Employee & Product Quality Various well known companies such as Ritz-Carlton Hotels and Taco Bell have implemented Total Quality Management programs in an effort to increase quality and market share. Ritz-Carlton of Kansas City, Missouri, recently revamped menu selections for its rooftop-level restaurant and bar operation. This came about through customer surveys, focus-group studies of local restaurant patrons, employee opinions, and market analysis. This began with the general manager, Norm Howard, as TQM must start at the top to be successful. He states that "It [TQM] is about listening to your customers and empowering your employees to participate in important business decisions" (Stephenson, 1993). Taco Bell, with the implementation of a Total Quality Management system, has improved its speed of service, friendliness of service, and value for money ratings. This company has done this by empowering employees and seeking customer input. By integrating their employees into the system,

Report from an Interview with a Muslim-American Woman

Oftentimes, personal narratives can become the grounding point for theoretical research. Experiences reflect the social tendencies of an individual or a community. Here social tendencies deal about the overall capacity of an individual or group to adapt to the social environment. It also includes the ability to maintain beliefs (or ideologies) and protect personal or group aspirations. Thus, a thorough study of social tendencies may provide the researcher knowledge about the nature of a given individual or community. Although the individual is an entity by itself; that is, it have an existence independent of a given group, the cultural values of such an individual usually reflect the cultural values of the community he/she originated. Thus, it can be said that personal values are often influenced by collective values. The tendency of an individual to move in certain manners is in part influenced by his/her capacity to incorporate societal values and practices. Thus, inference becomes a tool for extracting genuine data. Although uncertainties may be present (as to the reliability of the data procured), we may also assume that such uncertainties were borne out of pre-judged propositions. Remember that in the real world, propositions have no truth values unless tested by empirical research. In my case, I chose to study Muslim American communities in order to examine the conditions of this particular ethnic group in the United States. I really want to examine the specific problems, aspirations, social and economic conditions of this group of people. Rather than providing a lengthy description of the chosen community, I chose to interview an individual from that community. My best choice for the interview was an 80-year old woman who called himself Tiger Lily and usually wore huge, flamboyant hats every day. She often danced around the senior center with a wooden marionette from the center’s thrift shop just for the laughs she got. For a stranger, she may be labeled a crazy old lady (an eccentric individual who wants all the attention of people focused to her), but for the community (Muslim-American) she was the joy of the community. Her cheerfulness often got into the lives of every person in the community. Certainly, this person would be the most viable person for an interview. The range of data I could procure from her is very big. Thus, I began constructing an interview outline which would be used in the interview. I came into the house of the old lady and asked her permission for an interview. She asked me the purpose of the interview. I told her that the interview was part of the course requirements. Added to that, the interview would serve as the parting point for describing Muslim-American communities (in the United States). She told me to come back to the next day. She promised that she would prepare a delicious launch for both of us. I came back to the house of Tiger Lily. I got a little nervous and excited. I felt a little disoriented because I might offend the old lady from the questions that I would be asking in the interview. â€Å"The bitter pill is necessary† was the thought running in my mind. So when the old lady asked me to sit down, I willingly obeyed. For Muslim-Americans, respect for individual dignity is one of the greatest virtues. I thanked the old lady for approving the interview. She said that it was her duty to share her knowledge of the community to students like me. What she did not know that the interview was not about the community per se. It was about her in relation to the community. Her personal narrative would serve as the grounding point for a deeper analysis of her community. I did not show any sign of faltering. For me, an interview is not just a question and answer procedure. It is the blood life of a qualitative research. Without further ad due, I began the interview. The first part of the interview dealt with the social life of Tiger Lily. Here are some transcripts of the interview: Question: People usually call you Tiger Lily. What does Tiger Lily stands for? Are they connected with your personal attributes? Tiger Lily: I really do not know why people call me Tiger Lily. Probably because most of the people in the community perceive me as a person who could get along with everybody. Personally, I view myself as a strong woman who possesses the qualities of a fine lady. Well, that’s Tiger and Lily for sure. Question: Do you consider yourself a liberated woman; that is, a modern woman? Tiger Lily: I don’t know if I can classify myself as a modern woman. There are some things in this country I find really intriguing. There are also some things I find fine. However, I am generally conservative in worldview. Family life, the community, and of course my personal views are the finest things in life. Maybe, that’s a conservative outlook. Question: Does your religion (Islam) affect your way of life, your approach to people? Tiger Lily: There is so much in my religion that affects (sic) my way of life. In our community, everybody is expecting from everybody. Solidarity is the most cherished values for Muslims like us. One should not be detached from the community. Doing so, would give one a headache. Islam is a way of life. It is life connected and governed by the laws of Allah, the One-God. In any case, I am bound by my religion to stick to the beliefs of my community. There is no alternative but obedience. Living outside the community for a Muslim is like living in a dark cave. You have the impression that you are different. Question: Are you aware that people perceive you as different? Tiger Lily: That’s their view. I find interacting with people a lot beneficial than isolating myself in my house. For us Muslims, interaction is the key to a fulfilling life. As what I have (sic) earlier, there is no alternative. Maybe, my way of interacting with other people is different. The purpose is the same though. The second part dealt with Tiger Lily’s perception of the community she belongs (and some of the problem the community encounter).   Here are some transcripts of the interview. Question: What is your perception of your community? Tiger Lily: One, happy big family. We usually celebrate birthdays and holidays with the members of the community. Even though those nasty white policemen always suspect one of our fellows in various crimes, we console each other. That’s one way of showing respect and dignity to our fellows. Question: What are some of the problems your community is currently facing? Tiger Lily: Maybe unemployment is the most pervasive problem in our community. Most of the young adults here are facing the difficulty of finding jobs because they are Muslims. After the 9/11 attack, many of the companies here are afraid of hiring Muslims even though they are also American citizens. I am really saddened by this instance. We also find it very difficult to interact with other people outside our community. Once they know that you are a Muslim, they turn their backs and refuse further correspondence. It’s really hard for us. What we can derive from this interview can be summed up in the following statements. Tiger Lily is a conservative folk who clings to the values of her community. The problems of the community are reflected on her personal narrative. She shows magnanimity and respect for the community because she believes in the efficacy of her religion (who greatly influences her life). Work Cited Interview with Tiger Lily (transcript). (2007). Conducted on 31 October 2007 with the consent of the interviewee.   

Black Mans Burden

It's has been a very discussed topic whether the color of ones skin still can be a burden in today's society or not. For Instance are the black people, and especially In South America racism Is a big Issue. Thus racism Is weakened compared to centuries ago, it is still present in not only a big part of America but in the rest of the world as well. Racism is one of the main issues, that the American author Kisses Layman is dealing with in his writings.Layman is black himself and in his work â€Å"How to slowly Kill Yourself and Others In America† he shows us his personally story, which Is filled tit trials and reflections that lightens under-appreciated aspects of the modern American life. In the following essay will be examining a remembrance of Layman's essay from the web magazine Gawkier, which was published the 28 of July 2012, to see how Layman gets his intention across. Layman grew up in Mississippi with a childhood embossed of racism and violence. This was a part of his everyday life.To outline the central problem that this text is dealing with, it is important to emphasize that ones skin color is still very important In many societies today. For Instance there Is the real life episode with the Police Officer Darrel Wilson who shot and killed the arrear old young black unarmed man named Michael Brown. These racially issues are the ones Layman has been struggled with during his upbringing. It is therefore these issues he wants to draw attention to In his essay. Layman speaks of personal experiences In his works, and this type of argumentation Is called ethos.He Is using ethos to emphasize the burden that comes with for blacks in a white-controlled society. I believe that Layman's intention with his writings is to make people live their lives as they wish and intend to. That is why freedom† Is a very Important point In Layman's writings. This is further shown In the essay: â€Å"How free can you be If you really accept that white folks are the traffic cops of your life? Mama tells me that she is not talking about freedom. She says that she is talking about survival. 1 This quotation is very important, because it highlights Layman's life values compared to Layman's mother, who always taught him to be well behaved In a society controlled by white people. Layman was well behaved In his early years, but after several years of being treated badly, Just because of his skin-color, Layman had had enough. Layman became a boy with a lot of anger and frustration, and I think that through his writings he got vent for his feelings. First of all he starts in medias race: â€Å"I've had guns pulled on me by four people under Central Mississippi skies†¦ 2 This dramatic and brutal start is very catchy. Secondly the language in his essay is very brutal and dramatic as well. He Is using words like gun, Niger and buck, which have a negative connotation. Thirdly he Is using flashbacks In a way that I haven't read before. Layman is over all writing about his young days in Mississippi, but sometimes he is OFF further shown in the essay: â€Å"16 months later, I'm 18, three years older than Edward Evans will be when he is shot in the head behind an abandoned home in Jackson. 3 By using this very unspectacular way of writing, he gets to his audience with the way of persuasion called pathos, where he is relating to the feelings. These parallels that he is using are episodes, which have happened in the last couple of years. He therefore achieves to make his past familiar with the racially issues that goes on today. The only difference is that he has survived, and the kids he is relating to have men killed. Likely because of racially issues.One of the persons who did not support his strong opinions was his mother. Layman therefore took distance to his mother, when she once pulled a gun to his face. To Layman this complex of problem was about the freedom that the black people weren't in possession of in Mississippi. To L ayman's mother it was a matter of survival, and therefore it was very important to her that they would fit in as much as possible. Thus Layman has gotten death treats; it has not stopped him from writing or drawing attention to these issues.Overall, Layman is using ethos to make his audience relate as much as possible through his personal experiences during his upbringing in Mississippi. An episode that Layman uses and which supports the theme racism is when an undercover â€Å"white† cop once pulled a gun at him. We most assume that this cop, called John Deere, pulls a gun at Layman, Troy, Cleat and Leighton because of their skin color since Deere shouts â€Å"Niger lovers† at them. By using ethos Layman achieves to get his audience attention since Layman's personal experiences are truthful, chocking and provocative.His writings however are aimed to a wide American target audience, and since Layman is a very intelligent and proficient writer, I think, that he achieves to get a lot of peoples' attention. He writes in a very special way, which catches the audience attention very quickly. All in all, the remembrance is a display of Layman's personal life where racism and violence is still present. Layman wants to draw attention to racism and violence. He wants people to say yes to life instead of letting some people being the â€Å"traffic cops† in your life, because of the burden that comes with when you are colored.